Holiday movies: We’re making a list of the most buzzed about flicks hitting theaters this season

Thursday

Nov 23, 2017 at 1:01 AM

Al Alexander More Content Now

With the turkey finally out of the oven, it’s time to heat up the Oscar race, as Hollywood serves up some of its best dishes of the year. But for most film fans, there’s really only one offering that has them salivating. And that, of course, is “Star Wars: The Last Jedi,” the second in the latest trilogy about the galaxy far far away.

Not much is known about the still unseen sequel to “The Force Awakens,” but I can tell you it furthers the storyline of heroine Rey (Daisy Ridley), who joins Luke (Mark Hamill), Leia (the late Carrie Fisher), Finn (John Boyega) and Poe (Oscar Isaac) in battling the dark forces of the murderous Kylo Ren (Adam Driver). It opens Dec. 15, but if Wookiees and Hutts aren’t your thing, there’s plenty more to satiate your appetite.

For the little kids, there’s the animated adventure “Ferdinand” (Dec. 15), which brings to life the classic 1936 story written by Munro Leaf and illustrated by Robert Lawson. For the Broadway junkies, there’s Hugh Jackman as P.T. Barnham in the musical “The Greatest Showman” (Dec. 20), with songs partially written by “La La Land” lyricist Justin Paul. And for history buffs, there’s Oscar frontrunner Gary Oldman as Winston Churchill in the World War II bio-pic “Darkest Hour” (Dec. 8).

For your Oscar-viewing pleasure, I’ve also included the contenders that are opening in New York and Los Angeles in December before expanding to Boston in January. Among those are P.T. Anderson’s highly anticipated fashion drama, “Phantom Thread,” and Steven Spielberg’s newspaper drama, “The Post,” just to mention a few. But we’re just scratching the surface. So here’s a complete rundown on what you can expect to see landing in your local theaters over the next six weeks:

“The Other Side of Hope” — Part two of Aki Kaurismäen’s Le Havre trilogy depicts a Muslim refugee caught between two countries when he is first granted entrance to Finland, then ordered sent home. But he refuses to go, hiding out in a rundown cafe in Helsinki.

“Wonder Wheel” — Given the current climate, now probably isn’t the best time to release a new Woody Allen movie. But here we are. Worse, word is that it isn’t one of the Woodman’s better flicks. Be that as it may, the period drama involves four people (Kate Winslet, Jim Belushi, Justin Timberlake and Juno Temple) whose lives intertwine in and around Coney Island in the 1950s.

Dec. 15“Star Wars: The Last Jedi” — The fact that writer-director Rian Johnson (“Brick,” “Looper”) has already been awarded his own “Star Wars” trilogy by Disney suggests that this installment, the eighth in the series, is really something to see. May the Force be with him.

“Tom of Finland” — Artist and military hero Touko Laaksonen (Pekka Strang) returns home from World War II to find Finland awash in homophobia, a crisis he counters through his homoerotic drawings, works that will eventually become the symbols of his nation’s gay rights movement.

“Ferdinand” — John Cena supplies the voice of the beloved bull in this animated tale from the folks behind the “Ice Age” movies. The supporting cast includes Kate McKinnon, Gina Rodriguez and Anthony Anderson.

Dec. 20“Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle” — A sequel 22 years in the making finds four teens rediscovering the game the late Robin Williams made famous. They spin the dial, and suddenly find themselves in danger inside the bodies of the game’s avatars, played by Dwayne Johnson, Kevin Hart, Jack Black and Karen Gillan. Jake Kasdan directs and Needham’s Scott Rosenberg (“Beautiful Girls”) provides the script.

“The Greatest Showman” — Hugh Jackman puts his Tony-winning talents to use in a sprightly musical in which he plays famed huckster P.T. Barnum, a visionary who rose from nothing all the way to the Big Top.

Dec. 22“All the Money in the World” — Ridley Scotts’ recount of the kidnapping of 16-year-old John Paul Getty III (Charlie Plummer) has received more publicity over who is no longer in it (the excised Kevin Spacey) than who is, i.e. Christopher Plummer (no relation to Charlie), taking Spacey’s place as billionaire John Paul Getty Sr. in last-minute reshoots. But the focus should be on Michelle Williams, who is rumored to steal the show as the kidnap victim’s harried mother, Gail. Mark Wahlberg co-stars as the detective hot on the case.

“Downsizing” — Writer-director Alexander Payne follows up his acclaimed “Nebraska” with a sci-fi comedy about a space-saving experiment in which humans are reduced to five inches tall. Matt Damon and Kristen Wiig star as one of the tiny couples.

“Call Me By Your Name” — Luca Guadagnino adapts André Aciman’s acclaimed novel with Armie Hammer playing an American intern who strikes up an illicit love affair with his Italian sponsor’s 17-year-old son (Timothée Chalamet) during the summer of 1983.

“Pitch Perfect 3” — The Bellas, led by Anna Kendrick, Hailee Steinfeld, Brittany Snow and Rebel Wilson, blend voices for a third go-round, this time on an overseas USO tour.

“Father Figures” — Two brothers (Owen Wilson and Ed Helms) hit the road to find their long-lost dad after they learn that their mom has been lying to them about his death.

Dec. 25“Molly’s Game” — Aaron Sorkin, the writer of “Steve Jobs,” uses his directorial debut to take on another real-life subject in Molly Bloom (Jessica Chastain), a beautiful Olympic-class skier who ran the world’s most exclusive high-stakes poker game for a decade. Eventually, she’s busted and it’s up to Idris Elba to spring her.

Oscar contenders set to open in January:“Phantom Thread” —In what’s said to be the final film performance by Daniel Day-Lewis, celebrated director Paul Thomas Anderson tells the tale of renowned British dressmaker — and womanizer — Reynolds Woodcock, who finally meets his match in a young, strong-willed lass (Vicky Krieps) who becomes his lover and muse. The great Lesley Manville co-stars as Woodcock’s sister and business partner.

“The Post” — The GOP’s favorite newspaper, The Washington Post, has its hosannas sung by Steven Spielberg with a period piece in which owner Katharine Graham (Meryl Streep) and her top editor, Ben Bradlee (Tom Hanks), race to keep up with the New York Times on the release of the government damning Pentagon Papers.

“I, Tonya” — Margot Robbie is drawing raves for her hilarious portrayal of disgraced figure skater Tonya Harding in Craig Gillespie’s hugely entertaining satire based on the now infamous attack on local celebrity Nancy Kerrigan. But the real star is Allison Janney, who has claimed frontrunner Oscar status for her work as Harding’s acid-tongued mother.

“Film Stars Don’t Die in Liverpool” — One of these days Annette Bening will win the Academy Award she so richly deserves. And this tale by Paul McGuigan about the later life and untimely death of Oscar-winning actress Gloria Grahame could be her ticket. Jamie Bell co-stars as the young lover who makes Gloria’s final days infinitely more blissful.

“In the Fade” — Not much buzz for Fatih Akin’s tale of a widowed mother’s revenge, but that’s not the case for star Diane Kruger, who is a strong Oscar contender for her portrayal of the grieving wife and mother.

“Hostiles” — Christian Bale makes his seemingly annual bid for Oscar with Scott (“Black Mass”) Cooper’s Old West tale about a surly Army captain (Bale) reluctantly agreeing to escort a captured Cheyenne chief (Wes Studi) and his family back to their sacred burial ground.

“Happy End” — The master of masochistic fun, Michael Haneke (“Cache”), returns with more feel-bad drama, this one involving a well-off French family living high on the hog just miles from one of the world’s most notorious refugee camps in Calais.

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